Top Ways To Improve Efficiency in the Warehouse
You may assume your warehouse is efficient when customers receive their products on time and the shelves are full. But actually, there’s room to make adjustments to create the most efficient warehouse possible. No matter what size warehouse you have, finding ways to improve efficiency is vital. It can save you money, create a better work environment, and improve customer service.
Utilize Warehouse Technology
Warehouses need updated technology to survive in today’s world. Technology is an excellent way to streamline your operations and stay current. Implement RFID technology to track items that leave the warehouse. Cloud-based warehouse management systems have features to display real-time data, efficiently manage inventory, and automate scheduling and accounting.
Automate your case packing to save time. Offer headsets or walkie-talkies to employees to alleviate back and forth communication. Purchase mobile-powered carts to help workers fill orders.
Learn Lessons, Make Adjustments
Issues, accidents, and mistakes happen. Track your data to learn where your warehouse can improve, then adjust accordingly. Utilize the right technology to discover the lacking areas in your warehouse. There’s always room for improvement within your business.
Is inventory sitting too long in your warehouse? Is a truck taking too long at the dock? Measure specific performance indicators to create benchmarks and make adjustments.
Improve Warehouse Design
It goes without saying that the most efficient warehouses are the ones with the best designs. Your warehouse should work with the flow, not push against it. Adequately plan the layout to address issues such as:
Lengthy picking times
Shipping and receiving bottlenecks
Lost inventory
Unsafe storage practices
Turn to your warehouse management system to discover the highest volume products and place them near the shipping and receiving area.
Optimize Warehouse Storage
A warehouse can become quickly congested if you’re not utilizing the space correctly. There are several reasons you may run out of storage, such as more oversized products, poor inventory control, and items that are sitting on the shelves and taking up space.
Go vertical to utilize the higher areas of your warehouse. Create skinnier aisles to help create more floor space—just ensure your equipment can still fit through. If you need to, get temporary extra storage. Temporary storage is excellent for seasonal surges such as Christmas.
These ideas will help improve your business’s warehouse efficiency in no time. Find what works for your warehouse and make adjustments.